The Heart-shaped Promise
by birgittajessica
Summary: Nozomi and Coco have been dating for a while and both of them seem to wish that the relationship will progress further. But no matter how much he tries, Coco can't bring himself to say the words and he ends up disappointing Nozomi. Will he overcome his worries and tell her his true feelings? Please leave reviews.
1. Chapter 1

The sweet-scented wind of Palmier Kingdom tickles Nozomi's cheeks. She smiles a little, brushing some of her magenta hair off her face with her fingers. While she spends the weekdays studying to be a teacher, weekends are her special days off. She gets to spend them with Coco—now her boyfriend—in Palmier Kingdom. Just like today.

All of her friends are in Palmier Kingdom now. Karen is off to the clinic to help the injured. Rin is still making accessories, usually surrounded by children. Komachi is in the palace's library with Nuts, bringing a new novel of hers for him to read and comment on. And Urara opened up a small stage somewhere to sing for the people, Syrup by her side. And Nozomi… well, she's with Coco—while in his human form—in a garden somewhere a little far from the palace. They sit back to back while enjoying their beautiful surroundings.

"How are your studies going?" Coco asks, breaking the silence.

"Good, I guess," Nozomi replies. "My grades are improving, but there are still some things I don't understand sometimes."

"Want me to help you?"

"Not today," the girl shakes her head. "It's my day off."

"You mean, _our _day off."

Nozomi giggles. "Being a king sounds very tough."

The brunette king shrugs. "Sort of. Having Nuts by my side is very reassuring."

"You two are really great friends, aren't you?"

Coco sighs. There's something that has been bothering him for a while now. He's been meaning to tell Nozomi something. Something very important. But he just doesn't have the courage. Plus, he and Nozomi is no ordinary couple. Nozomi is human, while he isn't. Even so, since they've been dating for a while now, he kind of wants to move forward.

"Coco?" Nozomi calls softly.

"Hmm?"

"Um… I'm not really sure how to put this, but," Nozomi hesitates. "I kind of wonder… about… about something."

Coco smiles a little. He can imagine Nozomi's blushing cheeks while she talks. Her voice even shakes a little. She's always like that when she's nervous. What is it that she wants to know?

"What is it?" Coco asks her. He meant to turn his face to hers, but Nozomi shakes her head.

"No, no—stay like that!" she says, shrieking a little out of panic. Coco stays in his position, but instead holds out his hand to reach hers and link their fingers together, hoping that the simple motion would calm her down. Nozomi sighs. "Um, I've been wondering…," she starts. "Since when do you… do you… feel… like, like _this _about me?"

_Oh… _Coco smiles even wider, blushing a little. "I don't really know when the feeling started, but I realized it when… when we went to the Nightmares Headquarters and they made you jump into a hole."

Nozomi remembers that time clearly. Everyone was forced to wear the Masks of Despair and they fell into a false world. It was Coco who found her and helped her return to her senses. Somehow, she was able to hear his voice calling her name over and over and she desperately reached for him that it broke the mask. The magenta-haired girl hugs her knees, hiding her tomato cheeks even though Coco can't see it.

"That time I realized how scared I was if I were to never see you again."

"Oh."

"How about you?" Coco asks.

Nozomi tightens her grip to her knees, hiding her face even more. Her blushing face feels warm. "Um… since the first time we met, when you caught me so I won't fall," she says nervously. "…I guess."

"'Guess'?" Coco tries to tease her.

"Jeez!" Nozomi hides her face even more as it gets more and more red. Coco laughs a little, turning his body to face her.

"No-zo-mi!" he calls.

The embarrassed girl just shakes her head over and over, refusing to show her face.

"Come on!" Coco says, trying to loose Nozomi's grip to her knees so that he can see her face.

The girl grunts and looks up to him, her face still red. She smiles a little. "Hehe. This is so embarrassing!" she claims, taking a deep breath to calm herself down.

This is his chance. Coco tries to calm the unbelievably fast beating of his heart. If he's going to say it, this is the time. "Nozomi?"

"Hmm?"

"I…"

Nozomi tilts her head a bit to the side, her eyes full of questions, but she waits.

"Never mind. Do you want to go to where everyone else is?" Coco says, standing up.

"Eeeeh… what is it?" Nozomi gets to her feet.

"It's nothing, really," Coco replies with a smile. He takes her hand. "Let's go!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Rin-chan!" Nozomi calls out.

"I'll go to where Nuts is," Coco says, excusing himself. "See you in a bit."

Nozomi brushes some hair off her face and walks to where Rin is. The short-haired girl is, as expected, making some new accessories. Some children are surrounding her. Nozomi takes a place next to her best friend, admiring the bracelets Rin just made.

"Oh, Nozomi," Rin greets her. "Where's Coco?"

"He went to meet Nuts," she replies, trying one of the bracelets. "Wah! I love this one!"

"You can have it," the Precure of Passion says with a smile.

"Wah! Thank you, Rin-chan!" Nozomi replies excitedly, putting the bracelet she chose on. From where they are, they can hear Urara singing her first single, _Tobikkiri! Yuuki no Door_. The cheering from the people of Palmier Kingdom can also be heard pretty clearly.

"Have you met everyone else?" Nozomi asks.

Rin shakes her head, her eyes focusing on making some more bracelets. She gave some of them to the children. "Just you, so far."

"Oh."

Rin turns to her. "What's wrong? Did something happen with Coco?"

Nozomi smiles a little. "Not really. It's just that… he was about to say something but suddenly stopped himself. And it might be just me, but I kind of expected something."

"Nozomi, you worry too much," Rin tells her. "It's okay. Just believe in him. Maybe he's just not ready yet."

Nozomi shrugs. "I guess you're right."

Rin gets to her feet. "How about we go eat some cakes?"

Nozomi giggles, catching up to her friend's quick steps.

"Oh, Karen-san," Rin greets the doctor-to-be as she takes her seat with Nozomi next to her. "You're here too?"

"I got a little hungry," Karen replies with a smile. She has Milk in her arms.

"Nozomi, where's Coco-sama-miru?" Milk asks, her eyes looking around for Coco.

"He's with Nuts," Nozomi replies simply, starts to stuff her mouth with the cakes on the table. "Ah! This is so delicious!"

Karen tilts her head closer to Rin, whispering, "Something happened?"

Rin whispers in respond.

"Ah…"

"What is it, Rin-chan, Karen-san?" Nozomi stops eating.

"Ah, it's nothing!" Karen waves the topic off and starts eating too. "Nozomi, this is delicious! Here, try it!"

"Thanks!" Nozomi accepts gladly, stuffing her mouth with more food.  
>***<p>

Coco sighs as he enters the palace's library. After some walking, he spots Nuts—also in his human form—holding a stack of papers which has to be Komachi's new novel, with Komachi sitting next to him rather nervously. The new novel is rather thick, but Nuts has almost finished reading it. He's a fast reader, after all.

"Hi," Coco greets the two as he gets close, taking a seat facing both of them.

"Ah, Coco-san," Komachi replies with a smile. "Where's Nozomi-san?"

"Oh, she's with Rin. They're probably at the cake shop by now," Coco replies.

Nuts put the novel down. He has finished reading it. He nods a little to greet Coco and faces Komachi to give her some of his comments. "Are you basing this story on everyone?" he asks.

"Ah, yes," Komachi replies, blushing a little. "Is it bad?"

"I never said so," Nuts remarks. "It's pretty good. You describe the characters very well, especially the guy with accessory shop."

Komachi blushes. "T-thank you."

Coco smiles a little. The guy with the accessory shop must be based on Nuts himself.

"I-I-I'll go to where everyone is," Komachi says with a shaking voice, standing to her feet. "I'll see you two later."

Nuts doesn't let his gaze off the green-haired girl until she's out of sight. Then, he turns to face Coco. "So, what brings you here?"

"Is that my greeting?" Coco pretends to look hurt.

"Cut the chase," Nuts says simply, keeping Komachi's novel in his bag. "Usually you would spend the whole day with Nozomi, but today you came to me after just a few hours. Something must've happened."

Coco smiles. "You always know. Well, it's really nothing big."

"I'll say whether it's big or not after you told me."


	3. Chapter 3

"You were worried like this when you first told her your feelings, weren't you-nuts?"

Coco—now in his mascot form—nods. "The same worries just somehow came back again-coco."

Nuts—also in his mascot form—taps his friend's shoulder with his small hand. "It's unlike you to worry this much-nuts. I'm sure Nozomi doesn't mind-nuts."

"But…"

"I said this back then, too, but you just need to tell her straightly how you feel-nuts!" Nuts tells him. "Everything will be okay-nuts."

"I guess you're right-coco," Coco smiles. "Thanks-coco."

"Let's go to where everyone is-nuts!" Nuts says, taking his friend's hand.  
>***<p>

"Coco-sama! Nuts-sama!" Kurumi—Milk's human form—greets the two kings.

The two men who have both come in their human forms offer a smile as respond. Coco takes a seat next to Nozomi, while Nuts sits on the seat next to him.

"Urara isn't here yet?" Nuts asks, looking around.

"Syrup too?" Coco adds.

"She may still be at the stage," Karen says, looking at her watch. "But it's almost time."

"Who knows, they might've already been on their way here," says Rin, taking a piece of pancakes into her mouth.

"Nozomi," Coco calls in a low voice.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry about earlier," Coco says with a smile.

Nozomi shakes her head, smiling. "Mmm-mm, it's okay."

Coco then notices some cream on Nozomi's cheek and wipes them off with his finger. This action surprised Nozomi. But the teacher-to-be said nothing, she just looks down, blushing.

Coco laughs a little.

"What's funny?" Nozomi demands, her face still red.

Coco pokes her cheek with his right hand. "You have two cute strawberries there," he teases her. "Or are they tomatoes?"

"Jeez!" Nozomi looks away. But shortly she can't help but giggle.

"Looks like they made up," Karen says in a low voice to Rin who simply smiles.

"Everyone!" Urara says cheerfully as she enters the room. Following behind her is Syrup in his human form. "Sorry I'm late!"

"Hurry, Urara!" Rin tells her, giggling. "Or Nozomi will eat everything!"

"Rin-chan!" Nozomi calls her out in an angry tone, but then she starts giggling as she adds more slices of cake to her plate.

"I won't lose!" Urara joins in.

"Jeez, they're such a glutton," Karen says, smiling at her friends' actions.

"Nozomi! You've been eating since forever! Save it for everyone else!" Kurumi reminds her.

"Hey, Nozomi! I was going to take that pancake!" Syrup yells, joining the commotion.

Nozomi giggles. "Well, I got it first!"

"By the way, Urara-san?" Komachi calls her.

"What is it, Komachi-san?" the blonde answers. She puts yet another slice of cake on her plate.

"Are you performing again tomorrow?"

"Yes! Everyone asked for an encore earlier, but it's gotten pretty late so I said I'd sing again tomorrow!"

Suddenly Coco looks like he realized something. He tilts his head closer to Nuts' ear and whisper something to his best friend.

"Everyone!" Coco says after he's finished. "Will you all stay here for the night? It's gotten pretty late too."

"Eh? Is it okay?" Komachi asks.

"What's wrong, Coco?" Nozomi adds.

"You don't want to?" he looks to her.

Nozomi blushes. "W-well, actually, I don't mind." Then she stands up, raising one of her arms. "We will be staying at the Palmier Kingdom for tonight! It's decided!"  
>***<p>

"Is Nozomi asleep?" Coco asks in a low voice.

"So soundly she wouldn't notice that all of us are gone," Rin assures him. "At least for a while."

"What's wrong, Coco?" Karen asks.

"Are you planning something, Coco-sama?" Kurumi adds.

The brunette king nods. "And for this to succeed, I will need everyone's help."


	4. Chapter 4

"Nozomi!"

"Rin-chan? Karen-san?"

"We've been looking all over for you," Karen says.

"Jeez! Why are you eating cakes so freely?" Rin asks, taking her childhood friend's hand, then she starts running towards the palace.

"Eh? What is this? I haven't finished eating!" Nozomi yells.

"Just follow us! It's very important! You can continue eating later!" Karen replies, opening the door to Nozomi's room where Urara, Komachi, and Kurumi are waiting.

"Eh? Why is everyone here?" Nozomi asks as Rin gets her to sit on the small chair by the mirror. Suddenly, someone out of her three friends covers her eyes. "What are you guys doing?"

"Nozomi-san, calm down!" Komachi tells her.

"Trust us!" Urara adds.

"Hey, Nozomi! Stop moving around so much!" Kurumi yells. "Sit tight! It will be over faster if you do!"

"Ah… I don't understand any of this!" Nozomi grunts, but she follows their orders anyway, hoping that they'd spill the details later for her. She can't see what they're doing, but someone gets her to her feet and helps her change out of her jersey. She tries to feel it… what is this, a dress? A moment after, they're sitting her up again and now they're doing something with her hair. She can also feel that someone is applying some make up to her face. What is this?  
>***<p>

"Can't I open the blindfold now?" Nozomi asks. "It's scary to walk in the dark like this! Where are you guys taking me?"

"Ssshh, Nozomi!" she hears Kurumi's harsh remark just behind her.

"It's okay, Nozomi-san! Komachi-san and I will keep you from falling," Urara replies reassuringly. Nozomi can't see anything, but she knows it's Urara and Komachi who are holding her hands, assisting her to walk.

"Where's Karen-san and Rin-chan?" Nozomi asks, changing the topic.

"They're going ahead," Komachi replies.

"Hmmm…" Nozomi murmurs. Then suddenly, the hands holding hers are gone. She starts calling her friends' name, searching frantically for them in the dark. "Komachi-san! Urara! Kurumi! Where are you?"

Nozomi tries to stay calm. She moves her hands to the blindfold, trying hard to unveil it. But possibly because she's still panic, it becomes the hardest task ever. As Nozomi struggles with the blindfold, she can feel someone's sudden touch on her hand, as if calming her down. "Urara? Komachi-san? Or… Kurumi? Is that you?"

Whoever that is, that person unveils her blindfold, freeing her sight. Slowly, Nozomi opens her eyelids.

"Coco?"

Coco smiles. He offers one of his hands. "May I have this dance?"

"Eh? I-I mean—of course!" Nozomi replies nervously, her cheeks red as he pulls her closer. Somewhere from the room, a gentle music is playing and they start dancing. Nozomi glances around, noticing that the room is dark, with only spotlights on her and Coco to be their guide.

"Nozomi? What's wrong?"

"No—nothing, I guess I was still shocked. Ahahaha!" she says, laughing nervously. Her eyes glance down to her steps, hoping that she wouldn't mess this dance up with her clumsy behavior.

Using one of his fingers, Coco gets Nozomi's chin up, so that they're facing each other. "It's okay," he reassures her with a smile. "I will lead you well so you won't mess up!"

"Mmm," Nozomi replies simply, her voice shaking with nerve. If this keeps up, she will end up hurting herself again with wrong expectations. She knows she can't show such a sad face to Coco who's been doing so much for her, but still….

"Nozomi," he calls her name, so gently it sounds like a melody. Coco helps her turn once, then suddenly he's kneeling, his hand still in hers.

"Eh?"

From his pocket, Coco produces a small, velvet box. He lets Nozomi's hand go so that he can open it. Nozomi stares in awe, unable to utter any words as the box slowly opens, revealing a heart-shaped diamond ring inside it.

"I… I know I might end up leaving you alone when I'm busy, worrying you, and making you sad just like I did yesterday. But still, this feeling of wanting to always stay by your side, to always protect you won't change. I promise that I will always be by your side to protect you forever," Coco says with a gentle, but serious tone. "Nozomi, I love you."

"Will you marry me?" Coco asks, his eyes locked on Nozomi's.

Nozomi feels some tears flowing in her eyes. "Yes!" she says, letting Coco slides the ring into her ring finger. "I love you too, Coco!"

She notices that Coco's eyes are a little wet too and she giggles, jumping to him for a hug. Suddenly, the whole room lights up and Nozomi can finally see that they're in some kind of dome that must be somewhere in the big palace. The whole people of Palmier Kingdom are there, cheering both Coco's and Nozomi's name.

"Jeez, Nozomi! Don't cry and ruin the perfect make up I did for you!" Kurumi yells as she walks closer to the couple with Rin, Urara, Karen, Komachi, Syrup, and Nuts.

"Congratulations, both of you!" Karen says with a smile. "I did a very good job with your hair, didn't I, Nozomi?"

"She's shining with all the jewelries that I made," Rin adds, smiling.

"Jeez! Why is everyone bragging about themselves?" says Urara, then she puts on a full body-sized mirror in front of Nozomi. "I don't think Nozomi-san has seen how beautiful she is yet! Nozomi-san, I'm the one who picked that dress!"

Nozomi stares at the mirror in awe. Her hair is nicely curled, with a sparkling tiara on top of her head which must've been made by Rin. She rarely wears make up and somehow it makes her look like a totally different person. The pink mini dress is very beautiful with a long tail that extends behind her feet. They're right… she's sparkling!

"Thanks, everyone!" she says cheerfully, admiring the beautiful ring on her ring finger. "Thank you so much!"


	5. Epilogue

"What should I do? I can't possibly walk along such a long aisle in this heavy dress!" Nozomi yells, sweats dripping on her face.

"Nozomi! The room is air-conditioned, right? You're sweating so much, you'll ruin the make up!" Kurumi reminds her, wiping Nozomi's face gently with a tissue paper.

"She's nervous, she can't help it," Rin says, hugging the bride from behind to calm her down. "It's her big day, after all!"

"Even so…"

"Kurumi, she'll be fine here with me," Rin reassures her. "I'll calm her down. You can go help the others!"

"Okay, then," Kurumi gives up, making her way out of the room. "I leave her to you, Rin!"

"Rin-chan, what should I do? What if I fall?" Nozomi asks when Kurumi is already out of sight.

"No-zo-mi!" Rin calls her, smiling. "Take a deep breath!"

Nozomi does as she's told.

"There you go!" Rin hugs her. "You'll do just fine! Believe me!"

"Thanks, Rin-chan," Nozomi replies, taking another deep breath. "I think I've calmed down… a bit."

"Good. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes!"  
>***<p>

Nozomi's grip on her dad's arm tightens. She didn't lie when she said she's calmed down earlier, but now the nervousness comes back to her when she notices that such large crowd are here on her wedding. "Dad?" she says, her voice trembling.

Mr. Yumehara touches his daughter's hand with his free hand. "It's okay. I won't let you fall!" he says reassuringly.

The piano then starts playing 'Wedding March' and thus begins Nozomi's walk along the aisle, with her dad next to her and Rin and Komachi behind them as the bridesmaids. Nozomi can hear her own loud fast heartbeat and she tries to follow Rin's advice to focus on Coco, that she will soon get to him.

As she makes his way along the aisle, she notices Karen smiling at her while playing the piano, with Urara next to her. She also notices her fellow Precure friends among the crowd: Nagisa and Honoka, with Fujimura and Kiriya next to each of them. Then Mai, Saki, with Mai's brother, Kazuya sitting next to her, Michiru, and Kaoru. There's also Love, Miki, Inori, and Setsuna. Not very far from them, Nozomi notices Tsubomi, Erika, Itsuki, and Yuri. Sitting on the same row just behind them are Hibiki, Kanade, Ellen, Ako, Miyuki, Akane, Yayoi, Nao, and Reika. Also sitting on the same row in front of them are Mana, Rikka, Alice, Makoto, Aguri, Megumi with Seiji next to her, Hime, Yuuko, and Iona. On the very first row, Nozomi sees her mother who's all teary from crying and Kurumi. Everyone is smiling to her, giving her just the push she needs to keep moving forward.

When they finally reach Coco, with Nuts next to him, Nozomi and her dad stop. Nozomi can't take her eyes off Coco as her dad passes her along to him. Coco takes her hand gently, leading her to the front where the priest is waiting.

"You're so beautiful, Nozomi," he whispers. Nozomi blushes at that, too flustered to reply him.

"Dearly beloved," the priest starts. "We are gathered here today to witness this man and woman in holy matrimony. If there's anyone here who believes that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The whole room goes silent. Nozomi didn't notice at first that the music has stopped too.

After the ring exchange, the priest continues, "Do you, Kokoda Kouji, take Yumehara Nozomi to be your lawfully-wedded wife, till death do you apart?"

"I do," he answers in a clear, serious tone.

"And do you, Yumehara Nozomi, take Kokoda Kouji to be your lawfully-wedded husband, till death do you apart?"

"I do," Nozomi answers. She's never been so sure on anything her entire life.

"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest says, ending the vows. "You may kiss the bride."

Coco and Nozomi turn to face each other. Nozomi closes her eyes shut as Coco removes her veil and lands a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, pulling her closer to him. As they share their kiss, the crowd starts applauding. Somehow, it sounds like music in Nozomi's ears, celebrating the new page of life she and Coco just started.

"I love you," Coco whispers.

"I love you too."

The End


End file.
